Market Place

Digital Access

Home Delivery

Local news, prep sports, Chicago sports, local and regional entertainment, business, home and lifestyle, food, classified and more! News you use every day! Daily, Daily including the e-Edition or e-Edition only.

Text Alerts

Choose your news! Select the text alerts you want to receive: breaking news, prep sports scores, school closings, weather, and more. Text alerts are a free service from SaukValley.com, but text rates may apply.

Email Newsletters

'Who cares' attitude more widespread

By Al Koper
Oregon

Jan. 29, 2013

I love the U.S.A., and tears come easy during the national anthem. Honoring your country with courtesy and respect seems to be becoming a lost art.

During local basketball games, there are those who show no respect by leaving their head cover on during the national anthem. Some will at least remove it but then hold it to their side instead of covering the heart. This is disrespectful to anyone who wears or has worn a uniform in service of our country, from the military to law enforcement.

Being asked to remove our caps prior to the national anthem should not be needed. Maybe we are not being vigilante enough about teaching proper flag etiquette in our schools.

This “who cares” attitude was evident when a small, hometown group seated in the hometown section were the only ones who remained seated during the school fight song and team introduction. I remember when both sides would stand for each other's school song.

Cheerleaders lead cheers with no help from the crowd, and the cheers fall on the deaf ears of students. Maybe we need some more simple “go-fight-win” cheers that all can follow. Maybe it's one for the “who cares” category.

There are elected officials who have the “who cares” attitude. It seems it makes no difference what the majority says but rather what “I” want. When was the last time you were actually approached by an elected official and asked, “How's it going?”

They can't know what matters if they don't get out and ask. Their town meetings just don't cut it. Maybe a trial period is needed after being elected for office.